Now that you have decided to start your own social networking site, you will have to adjust yourself to a new kind of "life" on the internet. Whether you make your living solely through your computer or are doing this new business as a sideline, your computer is now more than just a tool for your relaxation and staying in touch with friends and family. Although it is true that your site can generate income when you are not focusing on it, it will still take work and time to successfully generate income. You will have to manage your time and efficiently handle the time you spend online. Here are some ways to make the most of the time you spend in your social networking endeavors.
Social Networking Client programs
Most social network software features a social networking client program. These can include additional sites or applications that can be downloaded to augment your social networking. An example of this type of feature would be TweetDeck which informs you of any message on Twitter that mentions you by name. This gives you the ability to respond and become a part of those conversations.
FaceBook has partnered with Networkedblog in order to connect your blog to your facebook page. The professional listing site, LinkedIn has several clients and partners such as SlideShare which allows members to display Power Point presentations and other slide shows. Additionally, Squidoo partners with LinkedIn, YouTube, FaceBook and other sites.
Automated System
The ability to instantly share your postings to other sites due to the automated connection established by your social network client programs will save you a lot of time and hassle. It is important to either use care that you don't post personal information for "broadcast" use separate accounts for your personal correspondence. Make sure the automated systems you implement for your sites are connecting appropriate pages or sites. For instance, a message you post on FaceBook, being a more casual and personal site, may not be what you want posted on LinkedIn, a more professional and career oriented site.
Time Management
It is not necessary to respond to every posting or thank you note. Only reply to messages that require additional information or answers to direct questions. Set a schedule for answering emails and posts and stick to it. Segregating emails will help to prevent wasting time. You also don't need your phone to sound an alarm for every tweet, post or email. If you are not sitting at your computer or at the time of day scheduled for responding, you don't need your life intruded on by a message coming in. You run the computer, not the other way around. Also, set a schedule for the time you spend initiating contact online.
Common Courtesy
It is not necessarily a good idea to be selling at all times. First of all, it's obnoxious. You will lose more contacts than you gain. Remember that your online image does not have your facial expressions attached nor is it easy to communicate "just kidding" through online media. As an online business person, you need strike a balance between professionalism and common courtesy.
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